How to Take Good Black and White Pictures

Learning how to take good black and white pictures doesn't have to be difficult. To make your transition into black and white photography easier, LoveToKnow Photography has prepared this slideshow illustrating a few helpful tips to keep in mind during your next photo session.

Black and white photographs excel at conveying emotion. When photographing special events like a wedding or the birth of a baby, black and white photography is an excellent choice.

For portrait shots, clothing should be as simple as possible. Long sleeves and solid colors are ideal when learning how to take good black and white pictures. However, you should avoid having the subject wear black and white clothing in a black and white photography. These colors can create special challenges if the image needs to be lightened or darkened during the processing stage.

The composition for a black and white photo should be free of distractions. When there is no color in an image, objects do not show up clearly when they are layered on top of each other.

When taking outdoor black and white photos, you want the sun to be at its lowest point. Early in the morning or late in the evening is generally the best time to take black and white photos, since this creates deep shadows with rich contrast.

Take advantage of interesting textures when looking for ideas for black and white photos. This close-up of a sea urchin shell, for example, looks like abstract art.

If your camera gives you the option of shooting in either color or black and white, always shoot in color first. You can easily turn the image into black and white with your favorite image editing software, but it's much harder to add color to a black and white photo.

Need a new photo editing program? Check out the LoveToKnow Photography slideshow Good Photo Edit Software Programs for some software recommendations.